US Coast Guard: 11 dead after boat capsized off the coast of Puerto Rico

 

"As of 6 PM Thursday (2200 GMT), responding partner agency units have rescued 31 survivors, 11 female and 20 male. 11 deceased have been recovered," said the Coast Guard in a tweet.

A spokesperson for the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told AFP that the shipwreck occurred 10 nautical miles (18 kilometers) north of Desecheo Island, an uninhabited US territory between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

The spokesperson noted that most of the survivors were from Haiti or the Dominican Republic, and that the search was ongoing.

The US Coast Guard said in a statement earlier Thursday that the capsized vessel was suspected of "taking part in an illegal voyage."

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